ANTIMICROBIAL EFFECT OF COLD OZONATED WATER WASHING ON FRESH-CUT LETTUCE

A cold ozonated water wash treatment was assessed for its antimicrobial activity against natural microflora and spiked pathogenic bacteria on fresh-cut leafy lettuce.
The strains used for this study were Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. The cold ozonated water was prepared by dissolving gaseous ozone in cold water (2°C) made by an ice-slurry system.
Tap water and chlorinated water (100 mg/L and 200 mg/L) were also treated and compared with ozonated water treatment (0 ~ 10 mg/L). All pathogenic bacteria decreased by 99% within 1 minute of treatment with 5 mg/L ozonated water.
For total cell counts and coliform counts, 3 mg/L ozonated water was optimal by causing 3 ~ 4 log reduction, which was similar to the result achieved by 100 mg/L chlorinated water.
This study suggests that cold ozonated water washing treatment can be a useful means for eliminating microorganisms on fresh-cut vegetables such as a lettuce in order to enhance microbiological safety.

I International Symposium on Improving the Performance of Supply Chains in the Transitional Economies

B.S. Kim, J.Y. Kwon, K.H. Kwon, H.S. Cha, J.W. Jeong, G.H. Kim

lettuce, fresh-cut, ozonated water washing, surface sterilization

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2006.699.27